Mehrangarh Fort in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India

© Jayakumar/Shutterstoc

Honoring 72 years of democracy. India Republic Day

You might never guess that this ornate, skylit building, with an exterior covered in intricate carvings and artwork, was once a military base. Perched high on a hill above the city of Jodhpur, the colossal Mehrangarh Fort—aka the Citadel of the Sun—was built nearly five centuries before its home country became a democratic republic.

India's Republic Day commemorates January 26, 1950, when the constitution of India was adopted and the newly independent nation became a democratic republic. At the time of independence, the Republic of India had a population of 370 million, making the new nation the world's most populous democracy. It remains so today, with a population nearing 1.4 billion.